


His name is Tachibana Makoto

by Spinacheese93



Category: Free!
Genre: Celebrity Status, Gen, M/M, MakoRin Weekly, Mentions of Sousuke but he will appear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-11 12:24:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3327071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spinacheese93/pseuds/Spinacheese93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matsuoka Rin hates celebrities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kyaaaaaa!!!!

 

            “For crying out loud, Gou. Would you keep it down? I’m trying to concentrate,” Rin erased the additional pencil lines on his blueprint due to him being distracted by Gou’s scream. “I need to send this by 9, FYI.”

 

            He took a glance at the clock on his bedroom wall, 8.30pm. _Shit. It had to be done now!_ He gave the blueprint a once over before adding a few minor details and fixing some errors. He was in charge of the floor plan of the upcoming faculty exhibition. It’s an annual exhibition done by every university for a certain period of time, targeted to high school students for exposure of the university courses.  They’ve decided to let the student body to handle the event, for experience, they say. _Yeah, right! As if my thesis isn’t a pain in my schedule._

 

            “Gou, I’m heading out. Keep the doors locked. I’ll be home in a few minutes,” he told Gou before running towards the apartment, 2 blocks from his. Why the hell is he in charge of the floor plan, he wondered at the doorstep of the Project Manager’s apartment. Well, at least he’s in charge of the floor plan, he changed his mind as he saw the project manager’s face for the first time since they started planning. The project manager is his classmate, a perky girl who never seems like she’s running out of energy. What in the world happened to her? He saw some of the other committees inside the house. He’d say a few words to cheer them up and be on his way.It’s not like Gou is a little girl, but he just couldn’t leave her alone. not when she’s all alone in his apartment with only boy tenants on the whole floor. Yeah, he gave them all warnings when she first came to visit a few days ago, but he shouldn’t take any chances.

 

            “I’m home,” he said as held turn the door knob while digging his pocket for the keys. The door was unlocked. “Gou! I told you to-”

 

            “Shhhhh!!! Onii-chan. Makoto’s talking,,” Gou was still in front of the television, eyes glued to the screen as she hugged the cushion to her chest. It was a variety slash talk show that was aired at 9.30pm, which Rin couldn’t care less. Even with the television in the small living room, it was never on since he had never had any time to watch it. Not even during the weekends. He was the type who would hate to see his daily schedule empty, even when he had some free time, he would drag Sousuke, his best friend to the nearest gym or swimming pool.

 

            He sighed and sat next to Gou. He cleared his hectic schedule for the week just for Gou, and she’s glued onto the couch like this, might as well join her. He knew the latest teenage craze on the rising new actor, Tachibana Makoto. As he watched the new kid struggling in the games assigned for him, stuttering in answering the deep questions, _is this kid even real?_ The guy looks bigger than most kids their age, minus Sousuke of course, apparently that guy was a cross between human and a pine tree, but seems to be very clumsy, very gentle and very innocent. Unlike some celebrities he faced. Rin is currently working part-time at a well-known coffee shop with killer sandwich and cake choices, which happens to be the celebrities number one choice to stop by in-between schedule. He’s seen it all, the true colors of stardom. He shouldn’t lump them all together, but most celebrities are assholes. It could be just him, though. Matsuoka Rin and celebrities just don’t mix. He just didn’t know how to handle them. What makes this newbie any different? It just annoys him that this Tachibana Makoto seems so fake. God, how can his baby sister be so enamored by this guy?

 

            “Did you hear that? Onii-chan, Makoto is single! Kyaa!”

 

            “Well, I don’t think you’re the only one who thinks that this is great, see all those girls?”

 

            “I know, but still, we all had the chance. Lucky for us, in his latest movie, many people ship him with Aki-chan, which I find it quite reasonable given that their dynamics, but I ship Aki-chan with Haru-chan so hard. I’d still want their drama to continue!” Sometimes, Rin wonders if they’re even related. The enthusiasm his sister showed in TV shows and movies and his hatred towards this business is just shocking. “Did you know, Makoto and Haru-chan are childhood bestfriends?”

 

            Haru-chan? Nanase Haruka? Now there’s another tough celebrity. The pokerfaced actor who started out as a swimsuit model, who was only being offered water related movies. His empty gaze would give Rin the heebie-jeebies, he would stare at the menu for a long time, and sometimes comment on the food as if he was a food critique when he left, but mostly, “you should put more mackerel in the menu”. And there are times where he would expect Rin to understand what he wants, he didn’t threw any tantrums but it was very uncomfortable since he would just stare into Rin’s soul. Oh and yeah, Yazaki Aki and Nanase Haruka are dating. Rin saw them together quite frequently, but they were sworn to never leak it.

 

            “Who’d care about them. And what’s with this guy? Nobody in showbiz is this nice.”

 

            “But he is nice! Yeah, he sometimes plays the douchebag but-Ow, Odii-chad,” Rin pinched on his sister’s nose.

 

            “Where’d you learn that language?”

 

            “FYI, Odii-chad-ow! I ab dod a child adybore.” She elbowed on the most tender part of his stomach, earning a yelp from Rin as he let go. “I went to the nearby nutrition school remember? If you’re 23, how old am I? We’re just one year apart.”

 

            _Yeah, I know._ He thought, _how time flies._ “Yeah, but 22-year old shouldn’t be fangirling over young actors like you do.”

 

            “Speaking of which, can I follow you to your workplace tomorrow?  Ne ne, Onii-chan?” She begged while pouting, trying to make the most convincing puppy dog eyes one could ever see. “I want a part-time job too.”

 

            “My dear girl, that would be a no. One, that place is a slave driver, it’s not just taking and preparing orders, no. It’s also cleaning and keeping things in order. Two, you just want to meet the celebrities, which I object strongly because you would be disappointed.”

 

            “Ever since you work at that place, you’ve been a little cocky and looking down on people, especially celebrities.”

 

            “I don’t want to be either, so better if you stay away from that place. Plus, you don’t need a part-time job, I’m already doing it.  For the both of us.”

 

            “Good morning everyone, my name is Gou Matsuoka. Nice to meet you. I’ll be working with all of you for the day.”

 

            Mikoshiba Seijuuro reach out his hand for a welcoming shake, for a second, Rin could see a glimmer of adoration in his eyes which prompted his own hand to take his senpai’s hand and shake it for Gou’s sake. “I’ll be careful if I were you, senpai.”

 

            Mikoshiba just let out a hearty laugh. “Didn’t take you for an overprotective brother. By the way, it’s nice to meet you, Gou-kun. I’m Mikoshiba Seijuuro.” He tilted his head to introduce himself.

 

            It was not until later that afternoon, Rin finished his utility checking duty and spotted a long line in front of the counter and saw his sister fully hypnotized with mouth agape. On the other side of the counter was Nanase Haruka and the newbie. He sighed, this is why he wouldn’t want his sister to work here. She’ll be out by the end of this day, for sure. He’s seen some employees being sacked even while working, thanks to the customers that reported to the manager. Like it or not, she’d have to face it. For now, he had to take over, so he went to the counter, pulled her sister to the employees lounge and serve their customers in the fastest way possible.

 

            “What can I get you, sirs? No, Mr Nanase, I can’t read your mind. Pardon us, but please make it quick because we had a very long line behind of you. And instead of you guys waiting your drinks here, we will be taking it to you, so please wait at your respective tables,” Rin heard the newbie’s voice ordering for two without any protest from Nanase. The rest of the order was a breeze since all the customers had made up their mind while waiting in queue.

 

 

            He went back to check on his sister. She had snapped out of her starstruck. “Gou, I need some back up over here. Help me with the orders will you?”

 

            “Onii-chan, Makoto spoke to me.”

 

            “Yeah, and right now, he is waiting for his drinks, so please take these to table 4.”

 

            “Aye aye, captain!”

 

            “I’ll help you out, Gou-kun!” Seijuuro seems to have ample time and helped Gou with serving the drinks as well. Rin will mind him later, his hands were already full. And at times, he felt like he was being watched, it’s not like he hadn’t felt it before, but still it’s uncomfortable.

 

            It was almost immediately he turned after hearing quite the commotion, he saw a tall brunet soaked with splashes of brown solution, there were some slushy’s on his shoulder and whipping cream on his chest almost lying on the floor and his sister was over him.

 

            “Gou, wait for me at the employees lounge,” he tried hard to cover his anger, he was seriously at wit’s end. “Seijuuro, please act like the head of staff like you are and handle this place for me, and you,” he pointed to the newbie actor and pulled his hand, “come with me.”

 

            He pulled the actor to the men’s locker room of the shop, in silence. He opened his locker and search through his bag, he took out the shirt he just bought the week before for Sousuke, which was still in its plastic packaging. “Here, you can wash and change into this. The shower is behind that locker,” he pointed across the room. “And if you want to report this, report under Matsuoka Rin.”

 

            “I-I’m not going to report this. It’s not really that big of an issue and I’ll return this to you. I think I can wash this off. Thanks for showing me the shower.”

 

            “What? Wait, hold up. We made you wait for your order, we dunk frappucino on you and you just want to brush it off? Clearly, you haven’t been in showbiz for long. We dragged you out of your schedule, we stained you sponsored clothes, surely you’re going to get something out of it, or even fired. I-”

 

            “Hey, hey, calm down. Everyone screw up sometimes, and I’m just unlucky enough to be in the way of the mess. This is just my bad day. Plus, I shouldn’t report on Matsuoka Rin because he practically saves the day.” He held Rin’s shoulder, firm and assuring. “Your nametag says you’re Rin. I can’t report on you. And I won’t report on that lady staff either, she’s on her first day of the job, am I right?”

 

            With that, he left to the showers, “And please don’t be too harsh on her.”

 

            Rin stepped into the office lounge to a very sad looking Gou and a comforting Mikoshiba. “Onii-chan, I’m so sorry, Mikoshiba told me that if the manager knows-”

 

            “Which he wouldn’t since he’s not here today, Gou-kun. We’ve covered plenty of the damages,” Mikoshiba was still all over Gou, as he comforted her. He was looking genuinely worried and also exhausted, he had to cover for 3 staffs.

 

            “Don’t you have anything else to do, ay head of staff?” Rin said coldly. And Mikoshiba rushed towards the shop to supervise the other staffs.

 

            “Onii-chan, I freaked out.”

 

            “I know,” he sat next to her, put his arms around her shoulder, pulling her close. “It’s the first time meeting celebrities in real life and all. Furthermore, he’s your celeb crush.”

 

            “I know right, my mind went blank and- I’m sorry, Onii-chan. I am responsible for everything. I know I’ll be laid off by the end of this day, but I had fun.”

 

            “He wouldn’t report it. Most celebrities would march straight to the manager’s office. He even told me to go easy on you.”

 

            “I told you, he’s nice. Genuinely nice, just like his name.”

 

            “That, or he’s just a newbie who hasn’t tasted the real essence of stardom. By the way, what’s his name again?”

 

            “Tachibana Makoto. And no, I would bet my allowance that he would never be the diva kind.”

 

            “I’ll take that bet.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. I was surprised that this fic only had 1 chapter when I wrote 2 in February. I remembered uploading it a few days after the 1st one. But I guess it didn't make it or it got lost. So here it is, chapter 2.

"Onii-chan, I'm staying again this week!" Gou barged in on another Friday and this time, it was after Rin had just reached home from a night out. Head a little light from the drinking competition that had left his best friend unconscious and on his shoulder, since the bar was closer to his apartment, he decided to carry, no, drag his friend home. Sousuke won the 200 bucks bet, but he'd have to share it with Rin as service charge. "Sousuke-kun?"

 

            "Long story. Why are you staying over? Don't you have your own house- never mind. Help me settle this big oaf on the c-ouch!" he said as Sousuke's weight began to feel double on his shoulders , and he earned a bite on the ear from the taller male.

 

            "But, onii-chan, I planned to rewatch 'Our Dreams', I had a copy of the DVD," Gou held the other of Sousuke's arm and sling it over her shoulder. "I heard that the bonus are funny. And I was warned by Chigusa that Makoto was an absolute adorable human being and nosebleed may occur."

 

            They both heard a chuckle from the now conscious male. "Tachibana, huh?"

 

            "Now get off of our free ride and walk to the couch,"

 

            "Onii-chan, Sousuke-kun, let's do a movie night," Gou squeezed in between the two buff males, with a remote in her hands.

 

            Rin hadn't watched Makoto's debut before, but he'd lie if he say he hadn't watched any of Makoto's work, ever since he took that bet with Gou. But only to look for proof that Makoto was the same as every other actors that had their head in the clouds. Even after 2 months, the guy was still as nice as he was when he first met him. Makoto frequently eat snacks at the coffeeshop as of late. And sometimes, he would glance over to the taller male, only to see that Makoto was already looking at him and smiled ever so brightly as if they were close. Some of the staffs hinted that Makoto was hitting on him, especially, the new blond kid, Nagisa,  but he pay no attention since it was baseless reasoning. Him and Makoto had never talked since that day.

 

            Makoto plays a rich heir to a big empire, Tomoharu who had it easy in life. But he wanted to make effort in paving his own road to success due to one girl. His character met the girl in high school who had insulted him for his easy and carefree life and he was determined to make the girl eat her words. The movie shows most of Tomoharu's hardship only to reach the end where he had to sacrifice his own dreams and had to fill in as the heir to the empire and couldn't get the girl when he changed himself for her.

 

            "Tomoharu's character was not given justice. They could make it end better for him, no?"

 

            Gou and Sousuke was giving him a questioning look. "Yeah, but he's a bad guy. It's justice enough that he got what he deserves," Gou replied, as they went through the ending credits.

 

            "Well, yeah but, cut that guy some slack. Clearly, he was brought up in a bubble, the guy didn't know a thing or two about real life people. That's why he treated them like that. He didn't know," Rin went introspectively on Tomoharu.

 

            "Really? I thought that was just a newbie's awkward acting," Sousuke commented.

 

            "No no, he's good. Very good actually. Just....good," Rin leaned back on the couch, mumbled to himself. Where is this guys flaw? He's a scaredy cat, yes that's a flaw, but not the one that could make him win the bet. No actor can be a sweetheart as well as having fame and fortune, and good hair...

 

_Fuck! Okay, am I jealous of them? No, nononononono... I am perfectly happy with my life, working my ass off to pay for my expenses, to help mom and Gou. Well, they.. They're working too but with better pay, and all the privileges that comes with it. Shit!_

            "Oh my god!" Sousuke exclaimed.

 

            "Kyaaa!!!!" Gou was practically screaming and vibrating on the couch.

 

            On the screen was a steamy clip that was cut off of the movie, in full view was Tachibana Makoto's perfectly sculpted back muscles. It wasn't exactly steamy, it was just shirtless him on top of a full clothed girl in a very provocative pose and a faint "cut!" could be heard in the background and Makoto went red as a tomato in a split second, even his ears went red. The camera captured a very flustered young adult in his early twenties appologizing and trying to find a hole to just bury himself in.

 

            Gou made a beeline towards the kitchen covering her nose, and came with a roll of kitchen towel.

 

            "Dude," Sousuke said, eyes still glued onto the paused screen featuring Makoto's full frontal naked abs that screams glorious but seriously mismatched with his facial expression. "isn't that the back that you've been aiming to gain?"

 

            "Yes, Sousuke. I believe so. And you know what? It's been 2 months and I'm still nowhere near that," Rin answered monotonously and he leaned back halfway into breakdown. "My God, I really hate this guy. He's not even trying!"

 

            As usual, Tachibana Makoto would visit everytime he's on cashier duty, but this time, he came prepared, he made a deal with some other staff so that he'd work at the back, doing utility checking and even cleaning duty.

 

            "Calling for Matsuoka Rin," he heard a familiar voice calling for him from the counter, it was Sousuke. "It's your lunch hour, right? I'm ordering this luxury of a dessert, and it's your treat. And mind if you join me?"

 

            Rin saw Tachibana from where he was sitting while eating with Sousuke, there were a bunch of girls. They could be actresses, Rin could've sworn he once saw the girl with the ponytail on TV yesterday. Rin grunted as they all seem chummy.

 

            "If you hated him that much, don't stare at them too hard. And let's just eat this thing before it melts" Sousuke taps his cheek with a cold spoon.

 

            "The hell? I'm not staring," Rin's eyes were back on Sousuke. " Why the heck would you order this thing? Just finish it on your own."

 

            "I win the drinking bet, I want you to pay for the most expensive treat here, which happens to be this big decorative ice cream. Eat it with me, and no, you don't hate sweet food. You hate overly sweetened food. This one is under-sweet for a dessert, to be honest." Sousuke took another spoonful of the big decorative ice cream. "By the way, I hung out with Gou this morning and she changed her lock screen, into pretty boy's back muscles. Can't say I'm against the aesthetics of it. "

 

            “We’re not talking about him.” Rin gulped a spoonful of the ice cream, which is not bad.

 

            “But looking at him like this, it’s kind of unfitting. The guy’s a giant teddy bear.”

 

            “Let’s drop th-”

 

            “Rin-chan!” Nagisa called out, at their table. Yeah, the winning baby faced staff had always been sceptical of the people he’s talking to, of whether they could hear him or not, hence the loud voice when he talks.

 

            “Nagisa, my ear is way close to you. I think I could hear your inner most thoughts if I tried.”

 

            “Mako-chan’s here. Oh, hello! No wonder you didn’t bother with Mako-chan, you’re spoken for,” Nagisa took the spoon from Rin and tried the ice cream. “This is so good! The legendary Rush Piece. Though, it should be a little sweeter.”

 

            “Nagisa, please let me breathe some fresh air, you know, without your stinging strawberry punch cologne. And ew, no. This is my best bud, Sousuke.”

 

            Sousuke held out his hand in courtesy and tried not to be bothered by the intermission, but annoyance got the best of him, “Nagisa, the disturbingly bright new staff. Rin told me. And what about this Mako-chan and Rin-chan I’ve heard just now?”

            “Sousuke, it’s just some baseless rambles this hyperactive kid made up. You knew better than to believe in speculations, ay Inspector-to-be.”

 

            He would never live it down. Nagisa had spilled the beans that one day, the actor Nanase Haruka came up to them while him and Nagisa was taking out the trash. A mad Nanase Haruka asking him to stop being an asshole and notice Makoto’s advances.

 

            “You know, Rin? Your mind is really one-tracked. When you have an aim, everything is narrowed down onto that goal of yours, even your focus point narrows down.” Sousuke voiced his concern when the blond left.

 

            “What brings to this?”

 

            “Just saying. Have you ever wondered about the things that you’ve missed while chasing your dreams?”

 

            “I’m good with where I am. I have you, and Gou. I have mom. I am always moving closer to my dreams. Things went according to plan at this point.”

 

            “Matsuoka!” Another loud mouthed guy appeared. “I talked to the manager and he could give Gou-kun another chance.”

 

            “I’d rather not have her here, especially not around you.”

 

            “Sousuke-kun! It’s been a while.” Seijuuro greeted Sousuke with a kind of a bro-fist at first, but it turns out to be a secret handshake. Rin just stood there confused. “We’re gym buddies.”

 

            “Exhibit A of the things you missed. It happened while you were beside me at the gym,” Sousuke explained. Rin left the scene as the lunch hour passed.

 

            It’s ridiculous. How the hell could he missed something so obvious? Mikoshiba-senpai wasn’t exactly the quiet type, and it’s with Sousuke, a meet up that is so unpredictable. Now, they were buddies? Rin wondered what else had he missed.

 

            Matsuoka Rin was a boy who was given a big responsibility at a very young age. His father was taken by the sea while he taught Gou how to make buildings out of blocks, while his mother prepared a dinner for 4. It was too early for a child to learn about death, but Rin grasp on the concept that the promise his father made, to take them for a picnic the coming weekend should be forgotten, the concept that their father was never coming home, and the concept of change. He noticed that the people talked about his father less and less, by day. The memory of his father, a man who wasn’t always home, but always there to answer his questions, always there to let Gou see the fireworks from his shoulder, always there when they needed him. And soon, the thought of his father left them, slowly and silently and even when Rin tried to remember his face by memory, he couldn’t. He held on whatever that’s left. His photo, his ambition and his family.

 

            His ambition of becoming an Olympic swimmer was the one Rin held on, way too tight that it became Rin’s own. He tried hard to get there. He went to Australia and came back. He hit a wall, fell, crumble but he was up again. He was too young to plan consistently, but he learned. Now, he had his own pace and followed it through. Sousuke was right, his focus was too narrowed, but he hadn’t realized that there were things that he missed. But the past was too far to recall, he had to broaden his view on the present.

 

            “And the present, is taking out the garbage and close the shop,” Rin snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the manager leaving the keys to Seijuuro as he left.

 

            Rin tried hard not to drag the garbage bag on the floor and avoid the bag having contact with his being while being overly exhausted to the dumpster. That was before he spotted a tall man from across the road, a lapful of cats and kittens. He knew all the cats since he played with them from time to time. He knew all but one; it was hard to approach that one black cat. He knew, he tried and got some scratches as souvenirs. It’s amazing how he could hear the little pain purred from where he was standing. He dumped the trash that he was holding, immediately dabbed on some hand sanitizer and walked towards the stranger. Bad move since it’s quite dark and late at night. But he gambled that if a person could attract that much feline onto him, how bad could he be.

 

            The view of the man became much clearer when he got close and _shit! No, not him! anyone but him._

            “Matsuoka-san!” It’s the one person Rin wouldn’t want to see, but he decided not to be rude. Makoto looked at him as if he was a creature of the night. He could even hear the poor guy pant a little. “I-I’m not used to be outside alone, in the dark.”

 

            “Afraid that some floating person or body parts flew past you,huh?” Rin gave him a naughty smirk.

 

            “L-let’s not give me ideas. T-there’s a sleeping cat on my lap,” Voice already shaking, and hands tried to push some of the cats away.

 

            “If you’re not much a hero, why are you here in the dark?”

 

            “I just finished shooting and I thought of visiting uncle, but he left early. The manager, I meant. And these guys came up to me,” He picked up the little pain from his lap. “When I worked here, I used to play with them. Seems like they still remember me.”

 

            “The manager is your uncle and you used to work here?”

 

            “Yes and yes, just before I got scouted. I’d still want to work here, but having that kind of job and balancing studies as well, I had to quit.”

 

            _Broaden your view._ His heart whispered. Rin took the courage and look into the other’s eyes. He saw a familiar set of green eyes. Very familiar.

 

            _Oh hell no!_ “Iwatobi’s Orca?” He jumped. Sudden realization that he knew Tachibana Makoto from way back in high school. How long had he known this guy as a celebrity, but never took the effort of actually looking him in the eyes or look at his face generally. How long had he been working at Rush without making eye contact with the customer for more than 7 seconds?

 

            And this Tachibana Makoto or Iwatobi’s Orca was someone in Rin’s past that could make Rin swam faster whenever he took a glance of him. He was Rin’s bonus motivation in the inter-high swim meet. He was the reason Rin stopped making eye contact when he realized that his goal was to impress this guy more than his drive to go to the Olympics. That’s when his world narrows down to only what he have left. His heart started to beat rapidly at the exposure. Nagisa, Haru, Rei, and Makoto, they were all in the rival school’s team, Iwatobi. They weren’t close to him, but they knew him and tried to approach him as the person they once compete with, and Rin hadn’t seen any of that. He was his own bubble all of this while, he had forgotten what was and had been.

 

            Makoto chuckled. “What’s with the sudden high school nickname?”

 

            _Exhibit B of what I’ve missed out. And they knew it all along._

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to just put it on tumblr, with an ending. But I'm not happy with the ending. And I became a noob with the new tumblr, i don't know how to put it under read more. So, I put it up here instead. And yeah, even with 6 AO3 works and some unofficial tumblr writings, I still don't know how to fanfic. Comments are welcome


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